Tag: writing
‘Jitney,’ in LA, Sings August Wilson’s Song of the Forgotten Man
Only 34 at the time that he wrote his first play, Jitney, August Wilson may or may not have known just how the emotion-driven...
All Rise: The Uplifting Backstory of ‘Sunrise in Heaven’
How Jan Hurst's personal tragedy let to renewed faith, to Voyage Media, and to a film shoot in Hollywood.
Measurable Impact: The Real Bottom Line for Nonprofit Arts?
The problem with Seattle's Intiman Theatre following (not for the first time) the hysterical-panic fundraising playbook first pioneered by Oral Roberts.
Can This Man Be a Nobel Laureate and a Genocide Apologist?
On the moral conundrum presented by Austrian writer Peter Handke, eulogist of Slobodan Milosevic and winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Miden Voyage: A #MeToo Charge in a Fictional Utopia
In Veronica Raimo’s novel "The Girl at the Door," there's a fine line between admiring a culture and alienation from it.
How ‘Average’ Howard Barnes Became an Above-Average Musical
Composer Michael Kooman and book writer/lyricist Christopher Dimond celebrate their "average" world-premiere CD.
In ‘Wives,’ Playwright Backhaus Tries Comedy — and #MeToo
But why salt so much dialogue with, like, annoyingly contemporary expressions?
Is the Tragedy of Sept. 11 Intelligible to Us Yet?
Looking to ancient drama to comprehend the incomprehensible.
‘Stranger’ Days: Remembering the Penelope Ashe Hoax
How 24 newspaper writers teamed up 50 years ago to create the sex-soaked novel "Naked Came the Stranger."
Bass Reeves, Overlooked American Hero, Gets Hollywood Close-Up
The story of the first Black deputy US marshal west of the Mississippi is coming to the screen.
That Time Susan Sontag Did Something Stupid
She staged "Waiting for Godot" in 1993 Sarajevo. A Sontag biography raises current questions on what motivates social practice.
‘Lockdown’ Appeals for Justice Reform — and Compassion
Playwright Cori Thomas learned to see the San Quentin incarcerated as individuals, not as past crimes.
Au Contraire: Exploring Brexit in English and Irish Theater
There's a desire to respect their differences and to work out where they go next -- together or separately.
‘Chick Flick: The Musical’ Should Be Your Quick Pick
We should all celebrate voices -- even those not necessarily our own.
In Season 3, HBO’s ‘True Detective’ Finally Gets a Clue
A show returns to critical-darling status...if you can forgive Stephen Dorff's wig.
Are Millennials Actually ‘F**ked’? Ask Matt Williams
A veteran TV writer-producer and "old white guy" explains his new play -- about Millennials.
Shepard’s ‘True West’ May Not Be So True After All
I used to think this was a great play. Now I fear it's a great play wrapped in a gimmick.
Let’s Disconnect the ‘Disconnect’ in Nonprofit Theater
Just because a play delivers "excellence" doesn't mean it delivers "impact."
Mossad, Charlie and Khalil: ‘The Little Drummer Girl’ Comes to TV
The Arab-Israeli conflict rages on, making a TV version of John Le Carre's 1983 novel sadly relevant.
Trigger Warnings at the Theater: Should This Be a Thing?
Isn't the whole idea of art to trigger something emotional?